Are we running out of oil? Are we in danger of another energy crisis of the magnitude of the 1970s "oil shocks" that condemned us to a decade of economic stagnation? And with our desultory regard for conservation and alternative energy sources, are we risking ever greater oil dependence on the volatile Middle East?

Yes, yes and yes.

...

Without a meaningful increase in investment to develop new energy sources, the world could face a severe supply shortage by 2020, British energy consultant John Westwood of Douglas-Westwood Ltd. told the Wall Street Journal last month.

"As far as we're concerned, this is not the real crunch," Westwood said of the current oil-supply squeeze. "This is just a practice."

And maybe look into those modifications to a vehicle which enable it to run on old cooking oil restaurants throw out. Also, start raising hell to your reps to promote biomass energy research along with restoring tax credit incentives for adding solar to homes. Sure the energy companies don't like it, but just remember these three words: ENRON screwed California. And remember who let it happen!

If bush*/Cheney were really interested in and serious about making America more safe and secure, they would be leading the charge to wean America off its gluttonous oil consumption. What? You say they seem to want us to use more oil? Well, there's your answer. America's security is not even considered by these thugs who make energy policy in secret meetings with other oil men.

And remember that food gets transported via oil. Plant a garden and learn as much as you can about raising some of what you eat. It is wise, healthy and a great political act you can share with children.

14. Off the Grid, own source of H2O, Garden/Chickens/Goats & walking/bike

Edited on Mon Jul-26-04 01:25 PM by Pachamama

distances to schools, work and stores...

Hi Havoc Mom!

The people who do what you and I are talking about will be okay...people who don't and in metropolitan cities or places where they are dependent to drive a ways to get to food sources etc are going to be in for a rude awakening...

I've known this for years...My Inlaws are biologists and (see my posting below) I have spent time w/ other scientists who have confirmed my worst fears...I also got some very interesting "insights" from some of the Shamans of Amazonian tribes re. this topic...thus my DU name "Pachamama"....

My husband traded in his beloved Cobra Mustang for a Honda Civic (HUGE!); we changed all our lightbulbs to florescent; we bought a generator (temp fix); we signed up for the Greenstart Electricity program where 100% of our electric power comes from renewable sources and we both had massive panic attacks about the end of the world.

Our major criticism of the book is it provides no positive view ... it's fairly bleak in how it dumps the info. I recommend balancing the information with other sources; however, the information is still vital.

There is much more we can do, but we've made a start and I credit the book with doing that.

was encouraged to explore alternate means. I remember mre than one company working on more efficient wind generators, lighting, ocean wave powered systems, etc. Car manufacturers started touted increased MPG as a selling point. Of course that all stopped during the next adminsitration, and I guess we never looked back. I smell the potential for the added benefit of job creation here - with tangible payoffs, but then I could be dreamin'.

You know too, that we might have to actually look into nuclear power, as I think some of the plants may be nearing their "middle age". But with all of the regulation and safety concerns, that could take year$.

coming oil shortage. They are now accepting articles on how to survive the upcoming changes if you have limited income. It's a chance to further develop creative alternatives to the mass destruction in progress.FTW can be accessed through it's mirror site:http://www.copvcia.com/

There are too many of us on this planet. There will be even more of us tomorrow.

Even though the United States may be overwhelmingly, disproportionately responsible for oil consumption, global warming, and pollution, the rest of the world is trying to catch up as fast as it can. Even if every one of us on the planet does their best to switch to alternative energy sources, if they ever become available, we are still going to have to feed, water, clothe, and transport billions. I'm not preaching genocide of the human race, but an integrated approach that looks beyond borders and immediate national interest and that seeks to address the energy, environmental, health, hunger, and over-population problems in a unified strategy.

there is a staph infection out there with our names on it-longevity of humanity only came into being because of antibiotics-we only have a bullet or two left in that chamber and the little germs are evolving to take us out-between that and peak oil you should have a nice sleep tonite

There does not appear to have been any time in the last 2000 years when humanity has adequately fed, watered and clothed the whole population of the globe. What has changed in the last decade is that the peoples of countries such as India and China are at last in a position to compete with the USA and Europe in the battle for resources. It is slowly beginning to dawn on the populations of the West that their privileged lifestyle might not be sustainable. The wolf is at their door and they are scared. Alas poor Babylon.

In 1997, when on a trip into the Equadorian Amazon to meet w/ the Achuar, Schuar and Huarani indian tribes re. their rights to preventing oil companies claims on their lands mineral and drilling rights for oil, a well-known Geologist who used to work for major oil companies such as BP said then that there was only 40 years left including unexplored oil reserves...I saw him about 6 mos ago at a party and he said with the increased consumption and usage of SUVs, and China's use of Petroleum to make "Cheap Sh*t" Americans can't stop buying at Wal-Mart, that it's more like another 15 years (2020) with a severe crisis hitting by 2010...

Our Fossil-fuel societies are going to be in for a rude awakening...America is going to be worse off than Europe, because we are so dependent on cars vs transportation like subways, trains and our country's infrastructure was built for cars...in Europe, people can walk to stores..here we have our homes built more often away from "villages"....yeah, the sooner someone can have themselves off the grid, their own source of Water (ie a well) and can structure their life for being able to walk/bike to their stores, schools and job, the better off they will be when it matters...

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